[Spruce]

It's just ped me off a bit, this guy is a doctor living in a £700k house and he's messing about over £3.00.

You mention that in your reply... Something like you surprised that as a doctor he is worried about £3 a month - and then just dump them.

Careful - the next time you meet him/her could be in the operating theater. 

You can't match the price and thank you for your custom.

[AuRavelling79]

Dear Sir,

Thank you for asking if I am prepared to reduce my price to £15 a month. As you know, my price is for £18 every 6 weeks. This longer time frame means I am removing more detritus and dirt each visit.

If you would like to take out your calculator you will also note that my visiting every 6 weeks equates to 8 or 9 visits per year. Viz:

8 x £18 = £144
9 x £18 = £162

The other person who has quoted equates to:

12 x £15 (Calendar month) = £180
13 x £15 (4 weekly) = £ 195

Therefore by staying with me your annual spend is significantly less. Add to this my known reliability, quality of work, being insured and trustworthiness and this should make a wise decision easier to make.

Obviously I hope we can continue our mutually beneficial business relationship but please let me know what you wish to do as soon as possible.

Best wishes,

[AuRavelling79]

Or:

Nyeeeeh! WatsupDoc?

I am looking for a deal on a hernia op. I can come to you privately for £1500 or I can fly to Poland, have a stay in Krakow for the weekend in a nice hotel, flights included for £1000.

Can you match this deal? Except I'll stay in the lakes in a country hotel.

Y/s

Bugs Bunny

[AuRavelling79]

Or:

Pete Thompson's reply is very very good!

[Carl2009]

"I am over subscribed by nearly 50% so loosing one isn't a big deal." Davids - you need to raise your prices. If you are oversubscribed then you aren't charging enough - it's called "price elasticity of demand". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_elasticity_of_demand

[Richard iSparkle]

This would be my reply:

Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell.

Jeez Tom,

i'd hate to think of the mess you'd be in if you got dumped by a girlfriend if this is how you handle a customer haggling on price! 

[Richard iSparkle]

Dear Sir,

Thank you for asking if I am prepared to reduce my price to £15 a month. As you know, my price is for £18 every 6 weeks. This longer time frame means I am removing more detritus and dirt each visit.

If you would like to take out your calculator you will also note that my visiting every 6 weeks equates to 8 or 9 visits per year. Viz:

8 x £18 = £144
9 x £18 = £162

The other person who has quoted equates to:

12 x £15 (Calendar month) = £180
13 x £15 (4 weekly) = £ 195

Therefore by staying with me your annual spend is significantly less. Add to this my known reliability, quality of work, being insured and trustworthiness and this should make a wise decision easier to make.

Obviously I hope we can continue our mutually beneficial business relationship but please let me know what you wish to do as soon as possible.

Best wishes,

better still say that the annual cost of £15 4 weekly is £195 so you are happy to match this...  your new 6 weekly price will therefore be £22 per visit;D

[davids3511]

"I am over subscribed by nearly 50% so loosing one isn't a big deal." Davids - you need to raise your prices. If you are oversubscribed then you aren't charging enough - it's called "price elasticity of demand". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_elasticity_of_demand

I see you are coming from but it is a case of trying to get to a point where I have enough work for myself after stripping off enough work to get my next franchisee started.

[Nick_Thompson]

Be professional in however you handle it.
It puts you in a good light.
Ignore egotistical WC's who suggest putting the price up.

Egotistical??

He meant egotesticle!

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

This would be my reply:

Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell.

omg !!!! in 12 years of running a fourm (a vw fourm) I have never seen I post this funny I love it !!

[ben M]

i think £18 is VERY CHEAP if its like the one in the link.plus if its a £700,000 house its £25-£30 all day long in my book.some customers really are cheapskates that live in these types of houses.im pleased to say i dont clean for people with that attitude.

+1 i choose my customers!

[dazmond]

dear whoever

im sorry to inform you i will not lower my price.i think my price is fair and i stick to my pricing structure.i am the best window cleaner in the area and by lowering my price would mean taking a step back for both me and my business.with overheads and other costs(fuel,insurance,equipment etc)steadily increasing year on year it would be a foolhardy move.

ive built my business on hard work,honesty and integrity and provide a trustworthy reliable service.

to consider dropping me for a window cleaner who you know nothing about because he s £3 cheaper.well!what can i say?you fill in the blank!_ _ _ _ _!


regards


mr window cleaner

[LWC Ltd]

Dear Mr.Scrooge, I understand your reasoning. £3 is a lot of money these days. I immagine your neighbours will be the next to change over. Slowly and surely he'll probably eat away at my round until I'm forced to join him on the dole.

[8weekly]

Dear Mr.Scrooge, I understand your reasoning. £3 is a lot of money these days. I immagine your neighbours will be the next to change over. Slowly and surely he'll probably eat away at my round until I'm forced to join him on the dole.

Clever. I like that.

[davids3511]

I just sent a text to say I couldn't match the price and thanks for the custom for the last 5 years. Was going to go down the 'it'll cost you more' and ' won't lower my standards' road but realized to this k n o b I'm just a window cleaner and he won't care about standards, surely we all just clean the windows the same ( in his head). I think I'm not even on his radar as a person, the arrogance of the consultant doctor is alive and kicking in him. Think Gerry McCann and you got him.

[davids3511]

Oh and they didn't even bother to reply.

[PoleKing]

I wouldn't reply to a window cleaner if I was a doctor.
Same as if I was the window cleaner I wouldn't reply to the doctor when he texts asking for you back.

[MATT BATEMAN (OWC)]

This place gets worse and worse.

[markymark]

This would be my reply:

Dear customer,

Oh dear.
 
We have an awkward situation here, don't we?  After 2 years of trouble-free service and a what I have always considered a good working relationship, we have this.  And now things will simply never be the same, will they?

I could tell you that I'm insulted by your note, that the insinuation that I didn't charge a fair price in the first place cuts to the bone.

I could tell you that I'm hurt by the way you've now made it clear that only thing that stands between me keeping your custom and losing it, is a Johnny-come-lately whose service you have no experience of, but who is £3 cheaper.

I could tell you that, every day that goes by I am asked to clean someone's windows, but I have to tell them they will be added to my 2-year waiting list.  (That's right, 2 years.  Didn't realise you had it so good, did you?)

I could tell you that most customers never realise that they need me far more than I need them, and that 'competiton' is a concept that good window cleaners like myself find both alien and totally irrelevant.

But honestly, what would be the point?

Even if you unreservedly apologised now, the sad fact is, neither of us would be able to forget this, would we?  The truth is, every time I came to your house I would think of this note, with all of the unspoken but nevertheless painful insinuations.

I think we both know that there really isn't any way forward for us now, is there?  I can't even wish you "all the best" in customary fashion, because it would undoubtedly come across as sarcastic, and if I'm honest that is also how it would be meant.

So all that's left to do now is to say farewell.

omg !!!! in 12 years of running a fourm (a vw fourm) I have never seen I post this funny I love it !!

Quality reply!
Times must be hard when a doc can't afford that extra coupla quid. The difference in price would be enough to rile me, but the clincher in the 'dump vs keep' scenario is the to $$ er actually wrote "going forward". He probably calls his kids 'stakeholders' and has his receptionist book Santa in for a five minute slot at 11:15am on January 3rd as he doesn't take appointments over xmas. Unless they are private and he can bill them £150 for each 10 minute slot. 

[gary999]

just smile and wave...as you walk away....smile and wave